Should Juventus defender Patrice Evra return to Manchester United?

Patrice Evra's future at Juventus is in doubt and it has led to Rio Ferdinand, among others, asking if the France defender could make an emotional return to Manchester United -- but would he be a useful addition?

Juventus director Beppe Marotta has confirmed that Evra is "considering his future" at the Italian club, with the 35-year-old having been left out of their squad for the 3-0 victory over Bologna on Sunday. He had signed a one-year contract extension last summer, with the option of another year.

Below we look at the pros and cons of United bringing back Evra, who spent eight years at Old Trafford from 2006-2014, winning five Premier League titles and the Champions League.

Pros

What Evra has to offer is not just about his on-field skills, it is also his presence and what he symbolises. This is a man who understands what Manchester United are about, loves what they stand for, connects with fans, and provides a link with their glorious past.

His return would be a popular move among many associated with the club and there could even be the prospect of him using his vast experience, beyond his playing career, as a coach.

The multi-lingual Frenchman's social media output reflects what he can bring to a dressing room, as he is capable of being a fun figure, who is happy, entertaining and inspirational. Similar to the signing of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Evra would be a shining light for other players to look up to.

Underneath the playful exterior -- the singing; the dressing up as a panda to send out anti-racism messages -- there is a strong character too. The way he recovered from a troubled start to his United career to become such a success is evidence of that.

United midfielder Paul Pogba has described him as "my uncle" and there are others who might be tempted to move to United because of Evra's presence. Should United pursue a move for France striker Antoine Griezmann, then the presence of Evra would do no harm.

Left-back is a problem area for United at present, due to Luke Shaw's injury issues and strained relationship with manager Jose Mourinho, so Evra can add depth, even just as a squad player. Although Evra is no longer a regular starter at Juventus, he has still been playing in the Champions League, so the quality is still there.

And, despite the concerns about his age, the likes of Ibrahimovic and Michael Carrick have already proven this season that older players can have a big impact.

Evra would add experience and depth for United at the back.

Cons

Evra leaving Juventus would make sense if he was assured regular first-team football elsewhere but, should he end up at United, he could find the situation frustrating there too.

Shaw, despite his problems, is still only 21 and the young Englishman is the left-back who United will invest more effort into developing in the long run. They will not want to stall his frustrating progression any further.

The argument about Evra stepping in as a squad player is weakened by the fact that United already have Daley Blind who can slot in there, plus the likes of Marcos Rojo and Matteo Darmian.

Evra's recent performance levels have also raised some question marks about how long he has left at the top level, with Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri unlikely to have been impressed by the Frenchman's display in the Italian Super Cup defeat against AC Milan on Dec. 23. On that occasion, the former United defender was given a torrid time by Milan forward Suso, who was surplus to requirements at Liverpool.

That showing was not his only bad day at the office either and Evra lost his place in the starting XI to Alex Sandro. The Brazilian has given Juventus a dynamic, attacking threat from defensive areas and that has highlighted what Evra cannot do as well these days with his ageing legs.

For all the talk of a love affair between Evra and United, it must be noted that the Frenchman was annoyed by the manner of his exit, so it was not an entirely smooth parting of ways. Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward would need to be content with Evra returning despite those circumstances.

Arindam is ESPN FC's Manchester United correspondent. Follow him on Twitter @ARejSport.